Scott Speed

[Dare]

Speed on one of our Speed Channel programs
answering questions.Hope a few like it

[Chameleon]

On the day when Scott posts third fastest practice time at Magny Cours, I feel it is time to warn everyone that I am a member of that almost extinct species, a Scott Speed supporter.  Don't tell me that the only thing wrong with the Toro Rosso is the drivers - you will be buried under a mountain of facts and figures that proves you hopelessly wrong.  And today I get to stand up and say, "I told you so," to the rest of the world.  Vitantonio Liuzzi is very quick - he's proved that in the past.  But guess what, Scott has been improving steadily and is now quicker and more reliable than the Italian.

Yes, today I can shout from the rooftops that the only thing wrong with the Toro Rosso was that it lacked a seamless shift gearbox - worth a second a lap, they reckon.  Today TR have their seamless gearbox and look what happens: Speed third fastest, Liuzzi fifth.  Today I can demand that you all eat humble pie and admit that you were wrong about the yankee boy.

Understand, I have to take my chances - tomorrow this could all prove to have been a flash in the pan and the TR will be as crap as ever.  But you don't get to be third fastest, even on a Friday, without being a bloody good driver.  A toast to Scott Speed!  May you show Bernie exactly which of his orifices he is talking through when he says that F1 doesn't need America!

[Steven Roy]

Remeber Magny Cours is a strange circuit.  It is not uncommon for a car to be competitive there and not be anywhere else.  Martin Brundle frequently talks about driving for Ligier and spending forever testing and devloping cars at Magny Cours.  He would get to a point where they could do really competitive times then take them to another track and be 15th or something.  It is interesting that Red Bull has suddenly jumped up the order despite having previously run the new 'box so I don't think the progress is due solely to it.

It is only free practise so we don't know fuel loads, tyre choice, how long the runs were that the times were set on so it is a bit early to get excited.

[Chameleon]

Quite frankly, Steve, who cares?  Magny Cours may be the strangest circuit on earth but the F1 circus have to race on it once a year - and there are the same number of points available as at any other circuit.  Brundle gives the reason for being quick there when he mentions that they were always testing at Magny Cours - go round any track a few thousand times and you get to know it pretty well.

Red Bull have been developing very nicely, apart from their reliability problems, but the Toro Rossos haven't been that far behind them at most circuits - they are developing too.  So it is very likely that the new 'box has made the difference and propelled them in front of the parent team.

But today is Scott's day!  I don't fool myself, I know there won't be many more so I might as well enjoy this one.  Third fastest, third fastest, nyah nyah nyah nyah-nyah. 

[johnbull]

Hey Chameleon, I was thinking of you every time Scott Speed popped another blinder on live timing.

Way to go!

[Steven Roy]

Brundle blamed the fact that the surface is so incredibly smooth even compared to the other billiard tables they race on.  As soon as they got to a normal track with even the dlightest bump the suspension could never cope.

[johnbull]

Newey perfection, perhaps?

[Chameleon]

Brundle blamed the fact that the surface is so incredibly smooth even compared to the other billiard tables they race on.  As soon as they got to a normal track with even the dlightest bump the suspension could never cope.

Fairy Nuff, it's a smooth track.  And the TRs may not be as good anywhere else.  But it's one race where we might actually see what Scott is really capable of.  That is, if the team don't manage to screw qualifying for him as usual...

[Chameleon]

Newey perfection, perhaps?

Thanks, John.

Newey perfection indeed.  We always knew he would give Red Bull and Toro Rosso a car that could get somewhere and I think now we are seeing its true potential.  And I have said for ages that Gerhard Berger would love to beat the parent team - it's the kind of guy he is.  Maybe we'll see both customer teams showing up their bosses... 

[johnbull]

Interestingly both RB and TR were right up there at the sharp end yesterday.

Which reminds me, practice in a minute. Let me switch to live timing!

[Chameleon]

Scott slots nicely in between the Red Bulls on the grid - thereby raising the question: if the seamless gearbox breaks when it's in a RB but lasts when in a TR, is it possible that some characteristic of the Renault engine is causing the problem?  It seems unlikely that the RB engineers are getting something wrong when TR (who are supposed to be inexperienced) are getting it right.  I know it's early days yet but it would be embarrassing for RB if TR were to experience no problems with the 'box this season...

As usual, TR managed to screw their drivers' qualifying, of course.  They persist in joining the mad scramble in the last couple of laps, thereby ensuring that their drivers get lost in traffic.  Keep 'em hammering around until they've set a decent time, is what I say.

Rain is likely for tomorrow, it seems.  A wet race is just what F1 needs at the moment - and should give the TR drivers a chance to show what they're made of.

[cosworth151]

Speed was giving a good account of himself in the race Sunday. Too bad the car packed it in. I look forward to see what happens at Silverstone.

[Chameleon]

Note that it was the gearbox that broke.  Seems it's as bad in a TR as it is in the Red Bull...   

[johnbull]

Scott was very good yesterday. Could have ended up top of the RB / TR pile.

Pity about that gearbox.